The US aviation is on the cusp of evolution with multibillion-dollar airport projects for new world-class terminals, large-scale modernization, and capacity expansion. With significant overhauls to better infrastructure, technology, amenities, and security systems for departures, arrivals, and connections, 8 major US airports defy aging. A collective public-private investment of over $40 billions is making these American airports future-ready travel hubs with more widebody-aircraft handling capacity, energy efficiency, accessibility for differently-abled passengers, and likes.

A walk through 9 major US airport upgrade projects: DFW, JFK, BOS, ORD, SFO, ATL, PIT

Dallas DFW Airport Terminal F

DFW Terminal F is a major upcoming US airport expansion that will fast-tracks capacity for American Airlines and strengthen Dallas as a global gateway. It brings industry-first prefabricated megastructure modules, a new Skylink station, and widebody-capable gates. Travelers will notice faster connections, shorter walks between gates, improved baggage flow, and larger retail and lounge spaces, all useful when flying long-haul flights to India from Dallas.

• Budget: Phase 1 Around $1.6 billion; overall $4 billion
• Terminal size: Phase 1 Approx. 400,000 sq ft
• Gates: 15 gates in Phase 1; overall 31 gates
• Timeline: Phase 1 expected to open with 15 gates in 2027
• Features: New Skylink station, improved baggage and security flow, more widebody-capable gates for international routes.

New York JFK Airport Terminal One

Among the new billion-dollar terminals in the US, JFK Airport Terminal One is highly anticipated to be the largest airport terminal in the east coast. It will define how you fly to and from New York. Its contemporary architecture will let ample natural flight in through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Travelers will experience faster security screening, improved customs processing, advanced baggage-handling system, and a unique retail and dining mix – all designed to make long-haul operations, including flights from JFK airport to India, smoother and more enjoyable. Qatar Airways, Etihad, Turkish Airlines, Air India, and several other international carriers are expected to move their operations to New Terminal One once it opens.

• Budget: Around $9.5 billion; part of a $19 billion JFK redevelopment
• Terminal size: Approx. 2.4–2.6 million sq ft total
• Gates: About 23 gates planned in Phase 1
• Amenities: 300,000+ sq ft of retail, dining, and lounges
• Timeline: Phased openings begin in 2026; full build-out through 2030

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport Expansion

Among the US airports getting major renovations, Atlanta ATL Airport is upgrading for the future through its massive ATLNext modernization program, one of the largest in US aviation. A key highlight is the Concourse D expansion, built with modular construction to minimize disruption while adding much-needed space for passengers. Alongside this, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is renovating its main terminal interiors with better lighting, higher ceilings, and wider walkways to elevate comfort for millions of travelers, including for long-haul flights from Atlanta to India and other global destinations.

• Budget: Around $1.3 billion (part of ATLNext’s $18 billion master plan)
• Size: Concourse D expansion adds about 211,000 sq ft of new space
• Timeline: Expected completion in 2027
• Gates: Around 24 gates
• Plane Train upgrade: $300 million system revamp with 63 new train cars, faster service
• Connectivity improvements: Renovated walkways and automated train stations linking terminals
• Traveler benefits: Less congestion, quicker transfers, improved comfort, and better international connections

Chicago ORD Airport Concourse D

The US airport projects for new terminals and expansions include Chicago O’Hare International Airport, where Concourse D is under construction. It is the first major addition to the terminal complex in more than three decades. Part of the ORDNext modernization program, it is designed to handle both domestic and international operations, helping ORD Airport manage its growing long-haul traffic. Concourse D will feature daylight-filled interiors, flexible gate layouts for widebody aircraft, and a suspended arrivals corridor that separates arrivals and departures.

• Budget: Approximately $1.3 billion
• Size: Around 590,000 sq ft over three levels
• Gates: 19 new gates (convertible for widebody aircraft)
• Timeline: Expected completion in 2028
• Traveler benefits: Faster transfers, improved passenger flow, and better facilities for long-haul international flights

Boston Logan Airport Terminal E

Boston Logan International Airport is upgrading Terminal E to enhance its role as a major US gateway for international travel. The expansion focuses on improving passenger experience and sustainability. The new upgraded terminal will feature a striking red prismatic roof, larger gate areas, and natural-light interiors that will simplify navigation and reduce congestion. A new multi-story parking garage for about 5000 cars will be directly linked with pedestrian and vehicle bridges to Terminals E and C, thereby improving access for departing and arriving passengers.

• Budget: Around $450 million under Massport’s NCEC Program
• Terminal size: 320,000 sq ft expansion + 70,000 sq ft renovation
• Parking structure: 725,000 sq ft multi-story garage
• Gates: 4 new gates with widebody capability
• Timeline: Construction began in 2025; completion targeted for 2028
• Passenger features: New international security checkpoint, daylight-filled interiors, improved customs and baggage systems, and local Boston-inspired retail and dining

Pittsburgh International Airport New Terminal

Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal is one of major US airport development projects. Scheduled to open in November 2025, PIT’s new terminal features advanced TSA scanners that let passengers keep laptops, liquids, and electronics in their carry-ons, speeding up security checks. The airport’s “We Got You” program offers real-time assistance to passengers with various needs. And, since the new terminal is adjacent to the concourses, PIT’s underground train will no longer be needed. Improved wayfinding at Pittsburgh Airport’s new terminal will facilitate tight connections ensuring a great deal of passenger convenience.

• Budget: Around $1.7 billion
• Terminal size: Approximately 811,000 sq ft
• Gates: Around 63 gates
• Expected opening: November 2025
• Unique design: Nature-inspired interiors, tree-branch columns, daylight-filled rooflines
• Amenities: 4 outdoor terraces, centralized security checkpoint, smart scanners, faster baggage systems, and new roadways for quicker drop-off and pickup

San Francisco SFO Airport Terminal 3 Modernization

San Francisco International Airport’s Terminal 3 West Modernization is one of the most significant US airport terminal upgrade projects currently underway. The upgrade focuses on improving passenger comfort, space, and efficiency through redesigned interiors, advanced security checkpoints, and a six-story building featuring new lounges, retail, and dining options. The upgraded SFO Terminal 3 will feature a sterile corridor connecting Terminal 3 to International Terminal G, allowing faster and easier transfers for international passengers, including of flights between San Francisco and India.

• Budget: $2.6 billion
• Terminal size: 850,000 sq ft (650,000 sq ft renovated + 200,000 sq ft new)
• Gates: 16 total gates with flexible swing gate capability
• Timeline: Completion by 2029
• Sustainability: LEED Platinum target, solar panels, energy-efficient systems
• Traveler benefits: Brighter interiors, quicker transfers, and upgraded amenities

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport’s $5bn Upgrade

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport is undergoing a $5 billion modernization and expansion program called “Upgrade SEA” to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The program includes the C Concourse Expansion and the SEA Gateway Project, both focused on improving comfort, sustainability, and passenger flow. The new C Concourse will rise four additional floors to add restaurants, lounges, and open viewing spaces, while the Gateway Project will rebuild the main terminal’s ticketing and security areas into a brighter, more efficient space.

• Investment: $5 billion modernization program under “Upgrade SEA”
• Size: About 226,530 sq ft
• Timeline: Major works completing by 2026, before the FIFA World Cup
• Sustainability: Rooftop solar panels, electric systems, biophilic interiors, energy-efficient glazing
• Security upgrades: New checkpoints and expanded screening lanes for faster processing
• Traveler benefits: Brighter spaces, smoother check-ins, modern dining options, and shorter security waits

Also Check: How you can enter SeaTac Airport terminal without boarding pass  

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To be inaugurated in August or September 2025, Navi Mumbai International Airport is a most ambitious aviation project for Rs 16,700 crore (around $2 billion). Flying through this airport would a unique experience unlike traveling through New Delhi or Mumbai CSMI Airport. Everything about the Navi Mumbai Airport project, from lotus-like design to water terminal to traffic-handling capacity is a wonder.

Navi Mumbai Airport – Local Sightseeing for Connecting Passengers

Connecting passengers with significant layovers at Navi Mumbai Airport would get to visit Lonavala, a most scenic hill station among the weekend getaways between Mumbai and Pune. NMIAL is planning to offer short sightseeing trips to Lonavala and other nearby tourist sites for travelers during long wait hours before connecting flights. If you have 6 hours or more to the next flight or international boarding, you can go for Lonavala sightseeing and come back to the airport.

The first Indian airport to offer local sightseeing tours, Navi Mumbai Airport would join the ranks of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Egypt, Singapore Changi, and Istanbul airports with stopover programs and sightseeing tours. Lonavala sightseeing experiences are being anticipated to be guided tours like Changi Airport’s free Singapore tours for transit travelers. “We are also looking at many options from among the must-visit places in Mumbai which could be explored with the help of Atal Setu,” said an official from NMIAL.

Since this initiative is in the works, we are waiting for more information, like sightseeing trips to Lonavala and other places from D B Patil Airport in Navi Mumbai would be complimentary or payable, whether this would be extended to inbound international arrivals,” said the chief travel economist of IndianEagle.com.

Navi Mumbai Airport to have Water Taxis

Water taxi rides between South Mumbai and DB Patil Airport in Navi Mumbai would be an altogether different experience for travelers, starting in 2026. Yes, among the existing and new airports in India, NMIA is the first to get water transportation on 8 routes to major points along the coast of Mumbai, like Colaba. A road trip to the airport from the mainland via the Mumbai Trans Harbor Link would take more than 60 minutes, whereas a water taxi ride would cut it to a mere 30 minutes. Part of the multimodal connectivity among Navi Mumbai Airport’s facilities, electric water taxis would make commuting to the airport smooth, scenic, and of course, Instagram worthy.

NMIA Food Hall: A Taste of Mumbai Inside the Terminal

Among Navi Mumbai Airport’s facilities, a curated Food Hall is all set to redefine airport dining for travelers. Designed by top chefs, this Food Hall brings together the flavors of Mumbai, from street-style vada pav to pav bhaji and fulfilling meals that reflect the City of Dreams’ culinary depth. It would be very unlike a typical food court at other airports where brand franchisees and quick-service restaurants charge a premium.

At NMIA Food Hall, you would get vegan, Jain, and diabetic-friendly food options, alongside a wide selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. And the best part? Prices would be in line with that of normal city restaurants, not the highly inflated rates at most airports. Navi Mumbai Airport will also have a food court outside the terminal building for non-passengers who come to see off or receive travelers.

Navi Mumbai Airport’s Experiential Zones Facility

After clearing security at Navi Mumbai DB Patil Airport, passengers would step into a special experiential zone designed to ease pre-flight stress. This in-terminal area will feature interactive displays, digital projections, and cultural artifacts showcasing the iconic landmarks of Mumbai, Maharashtra, and India at large. The experiential zone will have a calm ambience and a culturally rich space where passengers can relax and explore a bit of the local culture before boarding. Plus, a gaming area is coming up at the airport for families and children.

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Since the onset of 2025, American Airlines has been innovating travel within and to the United States. In a major new development, TSA PreCheck Security have got a touchless upgrade for AAdvantage members among passengers of American Airlines. The Touchless ID program makes the US airport security process smarter, smoother and safer by eliminating the need to present a physical ID. It is mostly helpful for family travelers with kids and unaccompanied elderly travelers who can now pass through TSA security checkpoints with their physical IDs safe in the handbag.

What is American Airlines’ Touchless ID for TSA PreCheck?

American Airlines’ new Touchless ID program uses facial recognition technology to simplify and speed up passenger identity verification at TSA checkpoints for eligible flyers. Launched in collaboration with the US Transportation Security Administration, this is a step into the future of air travel. With contact-free security options being the new cool, your face is now your ID and boarding pass for American Airlines flights to India or any other destination.

Who can use American Airlines’ TSA PreCheck Touchless ID?

Among the passengers of American airlines, those who are both AAdvantage members and TSA PreCheck travelers with an active Known Traveler Number (KTN) are eligible for the Touchless ID program. You must also have a valid passport. Once you meet requirements and opt in for the program through American Airlines’ website or app, you can breeze through the TSA security screening via a dedicated touchless ID lane at certain airports in the US. The opt-in is valid for one year and can be canceled at any time.

How American Airlines’ Touchless ID Works?

When you enter a TSA PreCheck touchless ID lane, a facial recognition camera scans your face. It then checks that scan against the passport photo you already saved during your check-in with TSA. If identification is successfully done, you’re cleared to go through security without the need of showing your ID or boarding pass. This can save a lot of time, especially for frequent flyers and families trying to catch a connecting domestic flight after landing from long international flights from India to USA.

The Touchless ID program is part of a larger trend that US airlines, including United and Delta, are adopting to facilitate more biometric applications, like self-check-in, self-bag-drop, faster boarding, and even lounge access. India’s Trusted Traveler Program for faster immigration clearance uses the same technology.

While American Airlines is the latest to introduce Touchless ID, the technology itself isn’t entirely new. Delta Air Lines was the first to test facial recognition for TSA PreCheck passengers, starting at its hubs in Atlanta and Detroit. United Airlines followed, rolling out touchless ID at major airports like Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles. Alaska Airlines also joined the bandwagon by launching similar touchless identity verification at Seattle and a few other locations.

Which US airports have got American Airlines’ Touchless ID?

American Airlines has rolled out the Touchless ID program at seven major airports in the US:

• Roland Reagan National Airport, Washington DC
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport
• Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
• New York LaGuardia Airport
• Salt Lake City International Airport

American Airlines, its codeshare partner Qatar Airways, and other major airlines’ best flight deals are available at IndianEagle.com for your travel between USA and India. Indian Eagle is the most trusted travel-booking partner of Indians and Americans for more than 15 years. You can also call us at +1800-615-3969 to grab exclusive phone-only deals from our airline partners and save BIG.

Also Check: Mobile Passport Control, a free alternative to Global Entry, for faster US immigration & customs

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Earlier in 2017, Indian women’s multi-fold saris with embroidery or mirror or other material work fooled Delhi IGI Airport’s body scanners into raising alarms for nothing. Many female travelers refused to comply with the security norms since they were required to remove their mangalsutra for the pre-boarding scan. Ultimately, the American body scanners were withdrawn from Indira Gandhi International Airport.

However, Delhi IGI Airport sourced a new body scanner which is smart enough to see through multi-layered Indian attires, particularly sari with metallic work. Developed by a Russian company and a Gujarat-based manufacturer in a collaborative venture, the body scanner has been on a week-long trial at Delhi Airport and proven sensitive to Indian women’s Desi outfits.

Unlike the previous scanners, the new body scanner at Delhi IGI Airport does not beep immediately and unnecessarily when a sari-clad woman wearing jewelry goes through it. Rather, it produces an X-ray image for the screening staff to check if the woman under scan is hiding any prohibited or suspicious item.

Also Check: 10 Passenger-friendly Facilities at Delhi Airport for Seamless Travel

Usual body scanners require male travelers to remove their wallets, watches, and belts, and female fliers to remove their handbags and jewelry. The new scanners at Delhi IGI Airport do not need travelers to take off shoes, belts, watches, wallets, jewelry, phones, etc. Reportedly, the new scanner has been manufactured in harmony with Indian sentiments and standards.

What’s the most likeable about the new body scanner at Delhi Airport is that it is configured in such a way so as to produce mannequin-like images without revealing body parts, according to the Bureau for Civil Aviation Security.

To be installed at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi Airport (DEL), the full body scanner can detect explosives, metallic things and other suspicious items even through prosthetics, plaster casts, and multi-layered Indian attires. So, not only Indian women wearing sarees with metallic work but also differently-abled passengers on wheel chairs can comfortably go through the scan.

However, passengers will have to undergo physical frisking even after a full-body scan in a telephone booth-like structure. The new scanner will finally be put to use by this month end.

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Navi Mumbai International Airport, one of the two world-class airports coming up in India, proved its readiness for operations through the first commercial flight validation test conducted on 29 December. With Terminal 1 and the first runway, the airport named after late D B Patil will be operational in May 2025. A Rs 17,000-cr ambitious project of Mumbai, the City of Dreams, Navi Mumbai Airport will be progressively completed by 2032. The second terminal will be completed by 2028, and Terminal 3 before or by 2032 if things go as planned. Below are some interesting facts about D B Patil International Airport in Navi Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai Airport Project Cost

INR 17,000 crore is the total cost estimate for the construction of Navi Mumbai International Airport. The ongoing construction of the first phase of the NMI airport would cost INR 6000 crore, which is anticipated to be completed and functional by mid-2025. The City & Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) allocated INR 3,420 crore for the pre-construction work. The compensation package for rehabilitation of nearly 3500 families in ten villages in and around Navi Mumbai, which have been affected due to the land acquisition, is estimated at INR 520 crore.

Navi Mumbai Airport Infrastructure

Unlike Mumbai CSI Airport, the second Mumbai International Airport will have two parallel runways measuring 3810m x 60m each. The runways will be 1550 meters apart from each other and have full-length taxiways on both sides. The terminal building of Navi Mumbai Airport will be built over an area of 2,700,000 square feet. The cargo area of the airport will spread over 1,000,000 square feet. A 90-m tall hillock at the Navi Mumbai Airport site has been demolished to prepare the land for runways and terminals. Major international airlines’ new-gen aircraft, such as Emirates’ A380 with Premium Economy and Lufthansa’s A350, operating business flights to Mumbai will be able to land and take off here as per the Navi Mumbai Airport plan.

Navi Mumbai Airport Design and Architecture

Inspired by lotus, India’s national flower, the design of Navi Mumbai International Airport has taken the aviation world by storm since the first look was unveiled on social media. Reportedly, a water terminal is being planned with high-speed ferry service from the Gateway of India, among the stunning features of the upcoming multimodal travel facility. The airport will be as eco-friendly as Cochin International Airport, the world’s first aviation facility powered by solar energy. Navi Mumbai Airport will be running on solar power.

Navi Mumbai Airport: Traffic-handling Capacity 

Unlike Mumbai CSI Airport (BOM) which handles over 900 flights a day, the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport is supposed to handle 80 flights an hour and nearly 1900 flights in 24 hours. Currently, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, which is the main gateway for flights to Mumbai from USA and other countries, is the world’s busiest single-runway facility.  

On completion of all four phases of the Navi Mumbai Airport project by 2032, the airport’s traffic-handling capacity will be more than 90 million passengers. With one runway and one terminal building which will be operationalized in May 2025, the airport will handle 20-million air passenger traffic which will go up to 40 million at the second phase in 2023 and 40 million at the third phase in 2027 and 60 million in 2031. Mumbai International Airport (BOM) has been handling over 40 million passengers per annum (beyond its capacity) since 2016.

Navi Mumbai International Airport: Location

The area around mainland Navi Mumbai across the Mumbai Harbor is the location of Mumbai’s second international airport (NMIA). Deemed as a Greenfield airport, Navi Mumbai Airport will spread over nearly 2900 hectares (7200 acres), including an area of 1160 hectares for the construction of airport terminals. Navi Mumbai Airport’s distance from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is 35kms along the National Highway 4B which will facilitate primary access to the airport in the east. There is supposed to be a 10-lane road to the new airport terminal building. The Mumbai Trans Harbor Link (MTHL), a 22-km 6-lane road bridge under construction, will connect the new airport in Navi Mumbai with the mainland of Mumbai City.

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Indira Gandhi International Airport is gearing up for an infrastructural boost to match the heights of New York JFK Airport, London Heathrow Airport, Hong Kong Airport and Singapore Changi International Airport. Like these world-class international airports, New Delhi IGI Airport is all set to get an air train (automated people mover) to interconnect the terminals for smooth passenger transit. Yes, you read it right. IGI DEL Airport is the first Indian airport to get a dedicated Metro Train-like transit system for passengers’ convenience.

At present, buses transport passengers between the terminals of New Delhi IGI Airport. The automated people mover (APM) between T1 (low cost domestic), T2 (old international terminal which will be converted into T4) and T3 (international terminal) will make passenger transit faster and more convenient than the existing inter-terminal transit shuttles. The air train project, which was supposed to commence in 2020, was shelved in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, a tender has been floated for construction of India’s first Automated People Mover at Delhi Airport.

The upcoming air train at Delhi IGI Airport will be a 7.5km-long transit line including 3km underground and 2.5km on ground. It will have four stopovers: T1, cargo terminal, Aerocity (the hospitality section), and a common station for T3 and T4. A technical study on the routing, along with cost estimation of the project, is in process.

With two terminals and three runways, New Delhi IGI Airport recorded whopping passenger traffic of 6.9 million in 2018. With the proposed expansion of Terminal 1 and the construction of the fourth runway, the annual volume of passenger traffic is supposed to be 10 million by 2020. With the increasing passenger traffic volume, the number of travelers transiting between T1 and T2/3 for flight arrival and departure will be growing. The annual passenger traffic will rise to 15 crore by 2025 when Terminal 4 will be operational.

Air train for New Delhi IGI Airport is an ambitious project. The construction of automated people mover under and on ground will cost up to INR 400 crore on an average per kilometer. The entire project will cost INR 2,000-2500 crore.

Recently, Delhi IGI Airport has been rated better for its security system than several other international airports, including London Heathrow, in the Airports Council International’s Airport Service Quality Survey. Delhi airport is the world’s second best airport, according to the same survey.

Delhi has good air connectivity with major cities in the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. There are nonstop flights to Delhi from Chicago, Newark, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Sydney, Hong Kong, London, Singapore and others. Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization, books cheap flight tickets to Delhi from USA for economy class, business class and last-minute travel.      

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October to April is the best time to visit Dubai. Booking Emirates flights to India or USA this holiday season or for the upcoming summer travel is a good opportunity to see Dubai during a layover and, that too within your budget. Additionally, Emirates Airlines’ flights with a long transit time cost lesser than itineraries with short layovers. If you are traveling alone or with a family, you can make the most of your connection time at Dubai Airport or in downtown Dubai. Hope this guide on what to do at Dubai DXB Airport or things to do in Dubai during a transit layover comes in handy to you.

My Emirates Pass for passengers of Emirates flights

My Emirates Pass is a key to unlock the deals and offers at tourist attractions in Dubai and the UAE for international passengers of Emirates flights. You can use ‘My Emirates Pass’ to experience the best of Dubai Airport, Dubai City, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Palm Jumeirah, or All Emirates availing attractive discounts on dining, shopping, and leisure activities during your long connective time in Dubai. For instance, you will get 20% discount on general admission to Burj Khalifa.

My Emirates Pass is valid throughout the year, irrespective of your travel class on Emirates flights between India and USA. To be precise, your Emirates boarding pass will work as ‘My Emirates Pass’ at the restaurants, stores, brands, and tourist sites participating in the program during this period. Your photo ID may be required along with the boarding pass, printed or digital.

Dubai Connect Service for international transit passengers 

Emirates Airlines’ Dubai Connect Service is a complimentary package for international transit passengers with a stopover of 8 to 26 hours in itineraries. The Dubai Connect Service for Emirates flights between USA and India comes with complimentary hotel stay, meals, airport transfers, and a complimentary visa to Dubai. Travelers under 18 years are also eligible for Dubai Connect as long as they are accompanied by an adult traveler over 18. This complimentary transit service must be booked at least 24 hours prior to your flight to Dubai from India or the USA. A representative of Emirates Airlines will guide you at the Dubai Connect desk in Arrivals at the airport.

A complimentary visa that the Dubai Connect booking provides can be a visa on arrival or a prearranged visa prior to arrival. If you have a normal Indian passport with a US visitor visa or a Green Card valid for minimum 6 months, you are eligible for Dubai’s visa on arrival. If you are on a US student visa or H1B/H4/any other US visa, you need to apply for a transit visa to Dubai in advance. The UAE’s visa on arrival allows Indian passport holders to stay 14 days in or outside Dubai, whereas a prearranged transit visa can be used for up to 96 hours of a stopover in Dubai. The US passport holders traveling to/from India via Dubai or Abu Dhabi are eligible for the free UAE visa on arrival.

What to do at Dubai Airport during a layover

If the connection time in your itinerary via Dubai does not permit a city sightseeing tour, you can spend the layover exploring the airport. We must say Dubai International Airport itself is a very happening place sans the city center. Being one of the world’s busiest transit hubs, DXB has entertainment options and recreational facilities aplenty. There are fine-dining restaurants to duty-free shopping zones. Dubai Airport lounges including the Plaza Premium Lounge indulge travelers in a lagoon of luxuries.

Saddled with jet lag? You can take a refreshing shower during the layover. Terminals 1 and 3 have free shower facilities, according to the Dubai Airport layover guide. Since the connection between two Emirates flights takes place at T3, you can locate a complimentary shower facility between the gates B13 and B19 in T3. If you have doubts about the hygiene of free showers, there are paid facilities offering shower-only packages.

Dubai being a shoppers’ paradise, the airport has vibrant retail areas across its three terminals. Emirates Airlines’ T3 has tens of duty-free brand outlets that operate round the clock. You can buy a box of chocolates or dry fruits as a souvenir for your family in the US. Dubai Airport Duty Free is a dedicated area for international transit passengers to on a shopping spree. You can browse product categories and check prices on the Dubai Duty Free website before you actually travel to or transit through Dubai Airport.

Unwinding in a quality lounge is one of the best things to do at Dubai International Airport during a transit layover. Located on Level 4 Concourse A of Terminal 3, Plaza Premium Lounge Dubai offers free Wi-Fi, cozy seating, quality food, relaxing showers, and USB charging stations at hourly rates. There are private family suites, a kids’ play area, a prayer room, a bar, and a smoking zone in the lounge. A family suite is spacious enough for 6 guests including children who prefer to relax in privacy, and comes with butler service. You can grab economical deals for the Dubai Plaza Premium Lounge service while booking Emirates Airlines’ cheap business class flights or economy class travel through IndianEagle.com.

You can relax at Zen Gardens while in transit at Dubai Airport DXB. Located near gates B7 and B27 in T3, Zen Gardens offer an indoor retreat to lush greenery and tranquility. You can do meditation, read a book, take a leisurely walk, soak in the sun, or connect with the virtual world on your mobile device using free Wi-Fi available at the airport.

You can take a power nap while in transit at Dubai Airport Terminal 3. Among various facilities for quality sleeping at DXB, the Sleep n Fly Lounge in T3 has igloo-style pods and double-bed cabins which you can rent on hourly basis. This lounge offers showers too. You can check in at Dubai International Hotel, a world-class transit hotel in T3, and relax for up to 18 hours during a layover. The Dubai Airport layover guide includes other hotels with free shuttle service between the terminals.

Dubai Airport layover sightseeing: Things to do and see  

There is no dearth of things to do and see during a layover at Dubai International Airport. The longer the layover or connection time at DXB Airport, the more you get to explore the city. You can choose to buy one of the Dubai Airport transit layover tour packages from Emirates Airlines, according to your itinerary. The guided Dubai sightseeing tours are meticulously planned and organized by the airline for varying lengths of airport layover. You can spend the long connection time without worrying about your connecting international flight.

Having a layover of 5 to 8 hours in Dubai? With a little homework on how to commute between the airport and the city center, you can make the most of this time. DXB Airport Terminal 1 and 3 have Dubai Metro stations. The Metro provides seamless connection from the airport to the city center nearly every 10 minutes. Downtown Dubai where the most popular tourist attractions including the world’s tallest building – Burj Khalifa – is located is 3 miles from the airport.

Undoubtedly, you can tick Burj Khalifa and the nearby Dubai Fountain on your list of the best things to see during a transit layover in Dubai. It is an adrenalin-pumping thrill to ride the high-speed elevator to the 124^th, 125^th and 148^th floors where there are observation decks to give you breath-taking views of the city landscape sprawling from the desert to the ocean. A twilight view from that stupendous height of the world’s tallest building is more wonderful. A visit to Burj Khalifa takes 1.5 to 2 hours including the commute from and to the airport, according to our customers who recently travelled on Emirates flights booked by Indian Eagle, a most trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians in USA.

You can easily extend your Dubai Airport layover sightseeing tour to Dubai Fountain at a stone’s throw from Burj Khalifa. Among the world’s largest and most expensive choreographed fountains, this tourist site evokes awe with the vertical shooting of water up to 125 meters. 6600 lights and 25 color projectors make it a must-see extravaganza during a light and sound show that plays every five minutes during peak hours of the day.

If you are a shopping freak or brand connoisseur and wondering what to do during a Dubai Airport transit layover as short as 5 hours, you can visit the Dubai Mall located near the base of Burj Khalifa. Spread over 13 million square feet equal to the total area of 50 football grounds, the mall has 1200 shops, 22 multiplex screens, 120 restaurants and cafes. The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo housing over 300 species of marine animals, is a must see at the mall. There is an indoor amusement park with an array of thrill rides and games. With 84 million visitors in 2019, the Dubai Mall is one of the few most visited manmade wonders in the world. The best thing is that Dubai Metro connects the airport to the mall.

Is shopping not your cup of tea? You can spend time in Dubai Miracle Garden, among the tourist places to visit during a layover of 5 hours or more at Dubai International Airport. One of the options to travel to Dubai Miracle Garden from the airport is the Metro that halts at the Mall of Emirates; from there you can take a public or private transport to reach the garden in 15 minutes. Spread over 72,000 sqm, this is the world’s biggest natural garden featuring more than 250 million plants and 50 million flowers. Dubai Miracle Garden holds three Guinness World Records, including the one for an Airbus 380 flower structure. You can visit this place only from October to April.

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Wall Street Journal, a leading international daily, named San Francisco International Airport as the best of 50 major airports across the US in its 2022 report on airport rankings. SFO Airport beat most of the biggest and busiest US airports, such as Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson, Denver International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth DFW, Chicago O’Hare ORD, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Orlando International Airport, and New York JFK in the race for the “Best Large US Airport of 2022” title.

Wall Street Journal’s ‘2022 airport rankings’ report categorized 50 major US airports into two groups: one group of 20 largest airports and one group of 30 midsize airports. Reliability, convenience, and value were primarily factored in for the ranking of the 50 US airports against as many as 19 parameters. SFO Airport earned 72, the highest ‘reliability’ score; whereas Newark EWR Airport got the lowest ‘reliability’ score 7 among the 20 largest airports in the first group. On-time arrivals, on-time departures, average arrival delay, average departure delay, flight cancellations, and security checkpoint waiting times are among the 9 metrics of reliability on Wall Street Journal’s airport-ranking scale.

With the third highest reliability score, that is 65, the world’s busiest Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is next to SFO Airport in Wall Street Journal’s ‘2022 airport rankings’ report. Minneapolis (MSP), Detroit (DTW), Phoenix (PHX), Los Angeles (LAX), Houston (IAH) are ranked third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively in the first group.

San Francisco Airport achieved the highest score, 69, in convenience being the second important ranking factor. Passenger satisfaction from check-in to baggage claim, walking distance from the terminal curb to the farthest gate, yelp rating of airport restaurants, and nonstop flights to/from the airport are among the ‘convenience’ metrics impacting the airport rankings in 2022. The total number of nonstop flights from San Francisco to India and other destinations put weight on the ‘convenience’ score of SFO Airport in the Wall Street Journal report.

A wide range of services and facilities define the best airport experience at SFO. Some of them are free, while some are payable. With nonstop Air India flights connecting San Francisco to Mumbai and Bengaluru starting this December, you should be in the know of the below five services that can make your travel to/from San Francisco a great experience.

SFO Airport Medical Clinic: Among the services available at SFO Airport, the Medical Clinic offers travel medicine, provides urgent care, and conducts medical immigration exams. It is a state-of-the-art facility with diagnostic, pharmacy and clinical therapy services. Reportedly, it provides the best travel medicine to help passengers stay healthy during departure from and on arrival to San Francisco Int. Airport. In the wake of a medical emergency, you can seek urgent care at the Medical Clinic, SFO Airport.

SFO Airport Butler Service: Similar to the Meet and Greet service at Indian airports, the butler service at San Francisco Airport is a paid service that Indians can hire for the convenience of their visiting elderly parents flying in or out unaccompanied. Non-English-speaking travelers can have the best airport experience with the butler service. The SFO Airport Butler helps with check-in, boarding, retail shopping, baggage, ground transportation, etc. You can also hire a butler for assistance with a connecting flight or during flight delay/cancellation. The airport butler service can be booked by calling 855.822.9868.

SFO Airport Yoga Room: Located in the post-security areas of Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 at SFO Airport, the yoga rooms are among the few best kept secrets for travelers. Available for free from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm, the yoga rooms offer a retreat to rejuvenation and tranquility at the busiest airport in the Bay Area. You can practice yoga prior to boarding and breathe out your anxiety of traveling by air. The yoga rooms are dimly lit and steeped in silence.

Also Check: India Removes All Pandemic-era Rules for International Arrivals

SFO Airport SkyTerrace: Among the free facilities at San Francisco Airport, SkyTerrace is a newly opened outdoor observation deck located in the pre-security area of Terminal 2. You can access SFO Airport’s SkyTerrace without a ticket or boarding pass and take in 180-degree views of the airport’s busiest intersection of four runways to kill your time gently during a flight delay or after seeing off your family or friends flying out. The SkyTerrace is open from Friday to Monday. You can enjoy food and beverages while spotting planes at the open-air vantage point.

SFO Airport Museum: Named Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum and Library, the museum offers an insightful walk through the history of commercial aviation and the chronicles of San Francisco Airport. Interestingly, one of the museum galleries features a portrait of Captain Zoya Agarwal; the first Indian pilot to be honored by a foreign airport museum for her phenomenal accomplishments in the skies. Located before security checkpoints at the International Terminal Departures Level, the SFO Airport Museum offers free entry to its enlightening exhibitions on various subjects, from 10 am to 4;30 pm daily. There is a video arts room where you can watch a great selection of short films.

This exclusive article is brought to you by Travel Beats, a one-stop portal for all US to India travel news and stories. Travel Beats is a subsidiary of IndianEagle.com, a most trusted travel-booking partner of Indians in America. You can grab low fare deals for Air India flights to India, and cheap one-stop flight tickets to India from USA on Indian Eagle.

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With the beginning of summer travel on the Memorial Day Weekend, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has introduced new guidelines to be aligned with the airport security screening process across the COVID19-hit USA. Ensuring minimum physical contact and maximum physical distance is the objective of the changes that TSA has started implementing to the way security screening is done at US airports.

Given the COVID19 proliferation in the US, the TSA screening procedures at airport checkpoints continue to be upgraded in the interest of health and safety of both TSA frontline workers and travelers. As a steady growth in the movement of travelers over the past few weeks exposes the TSA workers to contracting the viral disease, US airports’ anti-COVID19 preparedness for summer travel will be in full swing by mid-June.

The new TSA rules for screening amid the COVID19 crisis require travelers to scan their own boarding passes, paper or electronic, on the reader instead of handing them over to the TSA officer. Once the boarding passes are scanned, they should hold up them to the TSA officer for visual inspection. This change to the screening procedure at airport checkpoints facilitates contactless inspection of boarding passes and reduces chances for cross-contamination.

In view of safety protocols against COVID19, TSA calls for separate X-ray screening of food at US airports. The new changes to the airport screening procedure require passengers to take their carry-on food items out of the cabin bags and place those on a tray for the X-ray machine. “Food items often trigger a security alarm during the screening process,” a TSA frontline worker says. With food items separated from carry-on bags during screening, TSA officers need not touch cabin bags and food items. It leaves little room for cross-contamination.

In response to COVID19, TSA recommends smart packing to travellers. Keys, phones, wallets and belts should be put in carry-ons or handbags. Unlike normal times, travellers should be conscious enough to make sure that they do not carry prohibited items including liquids in more than permissible quantities in their handbags. However, one bottle or pouch of hand sanitizer up to 12 ounces is allowed in cabin handbags, considering it an essential requirement for prevention of COVID19. Travellers need to remove the hand sanitizer before pushing their carry-on bags through the X-ray machine. If an alarm is triggered due to some prohibited item in the carry-on bag, the traveller will be asked to remove the item from the bag and resubmit the bag for the X-ray screening.

Temperature screening of travelers is one of the ‘new normal’ TSA rules for airport security checkpoints during summer travel 2020. TSA is gearing up with a plan to implement specific health screening measures at major airports in view of the Coronavirus pandemic. TSA is planning to deploy its officers to perform a temperature check on travelers at airport entry gates and during boarding just the way the passengers of Air India flights for repatriation from USA to India are being screened. Major airlines including Delta, United and American Airlines have called for the TSA to allow their own personnel for passengers’ temperature screening.

Passengers’ temperature check has become part of the airport check-in procedure and the airline boarding process across India. Air Canada’s temperature screening policy requiring travelers to undergo a touch-less temperature check was implemented with effect on May 15. Any flyer reporting a temperature of 99.6 degrees or higher will be barred from boarding Air Canada flights. Singapore Airlines and Air France have also implemented the same policy for their passengers. London Heathrow and some of the major airports in the US are being equipped with thermal cameras to scan people for feverish temperature.

Social distancing and face covering are the new mandates among the current TSA rules for air travelers. Travelers might be requested to adjust their face masks or facial covering to help verify their identity at airport security checkpoints.

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Gone are the days when the differently-abled were marginalized and treated as untouchables in the mainstream Indian societies. India is opening up the gradual inclusion of the specially-abled into different walks of life. Restaurants and cafes from a tourist place like Agra to a megalopolis like Mumbai are employing sex workers, HIV victims, acid attack survivors and differently-abled individuals to level the playing field for the neglected.

What was unthinkable at an international airport until this August 15 has been made possible by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). In a latest initiative to promote inclusion and diversity, AAI launched a unique café which is entirely run by differently-abled individuals at Chennai International Airport. The opening of Coffee Box at Chennai Airport coincided with the 73^rd Independence Day 2019.

Employment is the most dignified way the differently-abled can be empowered. Having this philosophy as the foundation of Coffee Box at Chennai Airport (MAA), the Airports Authority of India aims at generating employment opportunities for individuals with speech and hearing impairment. One of the busiest airports in India, Chennai Airport handled nearly 23 million passengers in the fiscal 2018-19.

Coffee Box at Chennai Airport features a meticulously designed menu that includes filter coffee, idli sambar, samosa, slice cake and sandwich. What is unique to the airport café is its atmosphere full of positive vibes and warm hospitality that gives visitors an insight into the lives of the Speech and Hearing Impaired community (SHI). The way the specially-abled provide service with an artless smile is sure to spellbind you.

Chennai International Airport’s staffs including managers and HR professionals have undergone a special sign language training, so that they can impeccably communicate with the specially-abled employees of Coffee Box.

Also Read: Chennai’s Auto-rickshaw Driver who Makes 2000 Idli Varieties 

Commenting on the opening of Coffee Box at Chennai Airport, S. Sreekumar, the airport director said, “We always strive to help all segments of society with thought-provoking initiatives as part of our continued redevelopment programs at the airport aiming at humanizing the landscape of aviation.

Truly, Chennai Airport is not just the gateway to Chennai, the Detroit of India that commemorated its 380^th anniversary today (August 22), but also an environment-friendly air travel hub. On the eve of the Independence Day this year, seed balls were distributed to passengers at the airport, with the message of preserving environment for the future generation. The initiative was named, “With freedom comes responsibility.”

The differently-abled run Coffee Box at Chennai Airport will have its outlets at other major airports including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Coffee Box is a joint initiative by the Airports Authority of India and Travel Food Services (TFS), a leading travel F&B company, to uplift the individuals with speech and hearing disability.

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